


Rise of the Guardians: Dark Shadows Part 5

by JackfrostTruefrost300, Mysterie



Series: Alternates [6]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Angst, Anorexia, Cutting, Love, M/M, Self Harm, Stress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 19:53:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4450121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackfrostTruefrost300/pseuds/JackfrostTruefrost300, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterie/pseuds/Mysterie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jakoul and Gale have finally been dealt with, but things haven't gotten better for Jack or Jamie... in some ways they have only gotten worse...<br/>[sequel to Rise of the Guardians: Dark Shadows Part 4]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Old Habit

“Wouldn’t I? Let me guess... you’ve fallen into thinking that you don’t need to because of this reason or that. Jack, you don’t know what I’ve had to face because you haven’t been around the others since they stopped believing. You are starting to act like Cupcake... and last I knew she was starving herself because she wanted to “look pretty” for Prom.” Jamie folded his arms, he wasn’t backing down. Jack shifted to glare at him again.

“Whatever, if you try to feed me again I will bite your fucking hand off.” Jack was pissed, he didn’t care; he made the choice to eat or not.

“Fine. If you have to eat my hand to get something your stomach at least that’s something. I am not going to just sit back and let that woman’s efforts be for nothing!” Jack just glared.

“Just try it, see what happens.” He growled only for them to be interrupted by a soft knock and a yeti warbling about refilling Jack’s IV.

“Stay out.” Jamie barked at them, taking the replacement and doing it himself before he leveled his gaze back at Jack.

“Just how do you want that hand. Raw or cooked?” His gaze was dead serious. Jack snarled.

“Raw, if you try anything.” Jack growled, he wasn’t going to let Jamie scare him, even if he was Jamie. He knew it was a douche move, but he would not eat.

“Okay... might not taste as good... but it’s your meal... by the way... left or right?” Jamie wasn’t kidding around as he met Jack’s gaze seriously, drawing moisture from the air to form a blade from ice. Jack growled at that.

“Don’t even dare, I don’t need you cutting off a hand!” He looked away from Jamie, looking at the drip; he pulled it out and stood up.

“I’m out of here.” He fell as soon as he stepped onto the floor.

“What the hell! I can’t move!” Jack struggled to stand up, it taxed what little strength he did have. Jamie folded his arms, the dagger still hovering in the air nearby.

“What did you expect? You haven’t eaten, you lack the strength to do much of anything.” Jack huffed, stubborn as he was he should have realized that and his strength was fading fast; his body was shutting down just form doing the tiniest of movements and he grunted, going unconscious. Jamie sighs a little and picks Jack up from the floor settling him back in the bed and setting all the equipment up once more. Having watched closely how it was all done and he was glad he did. It allowed him to feed Jack a bit more while he was out cold. Jack could fuss all he wanted, but Jamie was going to do anything to get him fed. He dismissed the ice blade he'd created earlier. A yeti warbled at the door uncertainly with a tray of food for him and he nodded a silent thanks. The yeti left just as quickly as it had come and Jamie ate his meal. He wasn't going to follow Jack's example here, he still wasn't at full strength himself due to Gale's antics. God how he wished he could... but no... that little voice in the back of his mind kept him from starving himself. Jack came to again about a few hours later.

“W-what the hell...” He felt like he had a pounding headache and again he felt the texture and then taste of food. He groaned.

“Damn it all...” When Jack came to, Jamie was playing a game of chess with Sandy... and so far the game was evenly matched. Each had contributed pieces to the game and the game board; so it was half ice, half sand.

 

Jack lolled his head to watch the game but pain throbbed in his stomach, a machine nearby began beeping to indicate that Jack was dangerously low on energy and was in need of nutrition. Jack groaned a little, the feeling was killing him. Jamie moved a piece before floating over to Jack and changing the IV again. Then he checked the food bag before using the tube to slide more food down Jack’s throat; rubbing his throat gently to get the automatic reaction to swallow to kick in before the food got down the end of the tube; that way Jack wouldn’t have the food going down the wrong pipe and choking him. He kept this up for a while before cutting off the tube and carefully removing it, setting it aside before going back to the chess game where Sandy was patiently waiting, having made his move. Jack whined a little before he watched the game, scanning the pieces he looked slightly spaced out. Jamie ignored the whine best as he could as he tried to corner the other Guardian's king, but it was proving difficult. The older Guardian wasn't slack on skill in this game and they had been matching each other for the last eight moves. Jack watched carefully, quieting down as he saw an opening to Sandy’s queen, but also seeing an opening to Jamie’s if he took the chance, the pawn could take it out. Jamie didn’t take out Sandy’s queen, instead he moved his rook to guard his own queen when he saw she was vulnerable. Jack was astounded, thinking for a moment as he saw that Sandy moved on the defensive as well; moving a pawn to protect the queen while the king protected the left side. Jamie frowned slightly, the two of them seemed evenly matched for the next few moves until Sandy took out one of his knights. The two went back and forth, trying to outdo each other but in the end Sandy won with a last move that left Jamie in checkmate. It had been a close game. Jack thought that the game had gone great, he’d never been able to beat Sandy at chess, but Jamie was the closest to it that he’d seen. Jamie smiled a little.

“I guess I should have known I couldn’t beat someone older than me in chess.” Sandy grinned a little.

“Game of checkers next?” Sandy nodded and the pieces on the board changed as they set to setting up their sides of the board. Jack sort of wanted to play, but he felt scolded from earlier... or was it yesterday? He coughed slightly as he needed water; it was the only thing he would actually willingly down. Jamie glanced over at the cough.

“Do you need something?’ He asked. Wondering if that was the reason for it or not. Jack nodded.

“Um, water would be nice.” He winced slightly as his throat felt raw from the tube. Jamie smiled a little and fetched some water from a pitcher that was kept nearby for that reason. He poured Jack a glass and held it for him to drink.

“Don’t drink too fast now.” Jack nodded and drank slowly, soothing his burning throat.

“Want some more?” Jamie asked once Jack had emptied the glass. Jack shook his head, his body was very thin now and he coughed, causing him to gag and then throw up in the trash bin all that had been fed to him that day. The machine began flashing again, North came in at that moment and had with him a potion he’d been working on with Bunny, the mixture would ensure Jack’s stomach settled and would provide the badly needed nutrients as well.

“This be bit salty, but help for sure.” North held it out for Jack to drink, though it was obvious from the gleam in the Guardian’s eyes that Jack was going to take it... whether he wanted to or not... He was just giving Jack the option of doing this the easy way by voluntarily taking it. Jack gave him a challenging look, but it looked weakened as pained, he didn’t drink it. North sighed a little and had Phil and one of the other yetis help him as he gave Jack the potion. Jack twisted slightly, closing his mouth tightly; Jamie winced as the yetis have to pry open Jack’s mouth by force. He hated that this had to be done, but until Jack stopped being stubborn and got better to the point where his magical core could sustain itself without needing to eat it had to be.

 

Jack struggled a few times to spit it out as the yetis were bit mercilessly before they were able to get even a single drop in; finally they let go as it was managed, Jack growled and hated the taste that made him wince.

“Is for own good.” North said once the small bottle was empty and he left with the yetis who were oddly quiet about the whole ordeal. Jamie sighed a little before turning back to his game of checkers with Sandy. Jack looked outside the window, the wind was sad and became a solid form, waving hello; Jack couldn’t feel her, it made him feel sick, making his heart hurt. Sensing the wind’s presence, Jamie turned and gave it a sad smile and a wave. It returned the wave, tapping at the window, wanting to see Jack. Jamie nodded a little and walked over to the window, unlatching it for the wind and running a hand along the ward that had been placed there to allow the wind in and out.

“Sorry. North put up a ward against anyone coming in or out of this window to keep Jack here until he gets better. He’s a stubborn one.” Jamie moved aside to let the wind into the room before closing the window behind it. Jack sighed, feeling better with the wind around until it slapped him with cold air. He stared wide-eyed, holding his face as the slap seemed to say ‘Stop being stubborn!’ Jack blew the wind off and the wind was shocked at this, blowing him off the bed but catching him so that he wouldn’t be hurt in a gesture of ‘Stop it!’ It was like a glaring contest between the two.

“Whoa! Calm down wind! His being stubborn isn’t a problem, though I imagine he hates me, North and Tooth about now for what we’ve forced on him.” Jamie said, trying to calm the other spirit. The wind didn’t let up, whispering in anger.

“You’re NOT doing this again Jack! Not again! You almost died last time! I let you go too far! Now look at you... stop this!” Jack glared at the wind’s pleas and anger.

“No.” The wind snarled, whipping about before leaving with a slam. Jamie sighed, shaking his head.

“She’s just trying to help Jack... Why are you so stubborn about this? Why are you so intent on making things worse?” He asked, not looking as Jack as he gently shut the window that the wind had blown open upon her abrupt exit. He latched it, he couldn’t look at Jack and Sandy floated over to him, gently putting a hand on Jamie’s shoulder. Perhaps Jack couldn’t see it... or maybe he was just ignoring it, but the dreamweaver knew how grating this was on Jamie. How it was a struggle for the other winter spirit to watch the one who meant the most to him do this. The thing was, Jack never knew why he hated to eat, it was so painful; brought too many memories of his old life, the harsh winters. He had prefered to starve himself to feed others in the village; it was how it went, but now he didn’t see as many kids not going hungry... or homeless in general, which was why he’d made it a duty to protect others and keep them fed. Jamie just sighed and murmured to Sandy.

“I need some... air.” Sandy nodded and watched the young frost spirit leave, leaving the dreamweaver alone with Jack. Jack looked away, turning from Sandy; feeling that he had done it again, he’d driven Jamie away. _Why do I keep doing that to him? Why can’t I trust anyone?_ His eyes closed, tears sliding down as he went into a troubled, pained sleep. Sandy sighed a little and floated over to Jack to give him better dreams. He understood a little too well both ends and wished he didn’t. He hated seeing his friends suffer like this. The dreams were strange, though he’d said he wasn’t hungry he dreamt of food and sharing food with Jamie; it wasn’t so strange that he would dream that as after all he wasn’t eating at all. Sandy had seen it all in his vast years, so it didn’t surprise him to see this sort of dream. Knowing just how much Jack cared for Jamie and the significance of the gesture of sharing food.

 


	2. Learning Tastes

Jamie wouldn’t return to the room until the sun was high in the sky the next day. Jack awoke the next day, feeling weaker but also stronger as the Guardians had managed to feed him a half plate’s worth of breakfast. He’d whined in protest the whole way as he all but wanted to empty his stomach but he’d stopped himself as he was too weak to do that. When Jamie came in at noon he moved over to the window, frosting it gently; his frost seemed to be getting better with practice. Jack slowly became aware of the pinch in his arm at the IV being replaced. The yetis were working with Jack, trying a new potion through an IV; hoping it would help. Jamie is silent for the time being as he slowly drew a rabbit on the window and an egg... shaky replicas of what Jack had drawn in his frost once. He sighed quietly when a yeti brought in a tray for him. He waved it away, he didn’t feel like eating. Jack huffed as he was too tired to fight the yetis off this time. Jamie ignored them, frosting the window again and erasing the drawings. Jack lay back, watching the drawings and challenged himself with talk.

“Your frost drawings are good, even better than mine.”  Jamie shook his head in slight denial though he worked to draw other things.... a house, a couple of figures though the second one made him sigh... They are his mother and sister. He erased them almost immediately and went to drawing absent shapes of toys. Jack sighed, but he needed to know.

“Jamie... do you miss them?”

“Yeah... I do... I... visited her the other day. Things are hard for her... but then... I can’t expect anything less. Losing my sister was... devastating for her.” Jack nodded, but with strength and willpower he used chairs and tables to help him to his feet; making the machine start to go off as he walked over to Jamie, pulling the IV drip with him and he hugged him. Jamie simply leaned into the embrace, closing his eyes. There was one person he loved who could see him... There was some comfort in that. Jack sighed.

“I’m sorry Jamie. I’m so sorry... I’ll eat. I’ll make it up to you. I don’t want to die and leave you alone.” Jack burst into tears that feel like tiny rivers down his face. Jamie wrapped his arms around Jack, burying his head into Jack’s hoodie. It was all he’d ever wanted. Just for Jack to get better... He wished things could be the way they had been... before he’d died... before Jakoul... before Gale... before... everything... Jack sniffled and continued to cry, the machine now beeped rapidly, signaling danger of Jack’s possible dying if he continued to waste energy. Jamie held Jack tight a moment before leading him back to the bed. Settling the bed with him.

“Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake again. Promise.” Jack fought the anesthesia that was released into his bloodstream for the purpose sleeping, the machine calling the yetis who swarmed him and worked around Jamie, tugging the boy to a chair, to power Jack up a little considering how dangerously low his level was at. Jamie grumbled a little at the yeti who pulled him to a chair, but he settled into it as they worked to get Jack’s levels back up again. It was a close call, they dispersed after putting Jack on a ventilator to keep him breathing as well as filled the IV with a power serum that was needed. Jamie shuddered at the thought, curling up in the chair as he kept out of the way. While Jack was out the yetis came in every now and then to check up on him and make sure he’s stable with nutrients as well as slowly accumulating his system to food again. Jack slowly stirred after several hours, seeing only blobs and colors at first; when Jack was deemed stable again Jamie had curled up against him in the bed, using his stomach like a pillow; his breathing light as he slept. Jack saw Jamie inches from him and struggled a little with the breathing mask, but he managed to push the bangs from his eyes. Jamie stirred slightly in his sleep, but only to snuggle closer. Jack chuckles slightly, unaware that Death was near. Jack coughed harshly, the machine beeped loudly as Jack hacked and coughed; he was choking on the breathing mask. Death appeared in the room, standing by Jack.

“Hello Jack, looks like I do get your soul.” Jamie shifted, woken by the alarms; he snapped awake almost instantly.

He wasn’t sure what to do, yetis came running in to try an stabilize Jack again; none of them seeing Death. Jack struggled with the mask, the yetis warbling in worry as nothing was working; his vision was tunneling and eventually they took off the mask. Jack sucked in the blessed air while they stared at the machine in confusion; somehow it had stalled in oxygen and had been making Jack choke on fumes of smoke instead. The yetis grumbled to one another and Death scowled a little when they wheeled the malfunctioning device out. It wouldn’t take them long to figure that Death had tampered with it to just try and get to Jack. Forgetting that he wouldn’t get to Jack’s soul thanks to Jamie who looked at Jack now in concern.

“You okay?” Jack didn’t speak for a long moment, his eyes glassy and he was breathing in air in gulps now, shaking slightly as he thought about his near death experience. Jamie gently brushed his fingers along Jack’s cheek, concern in his eyes, but he didn’t say anything more. Unaware of the reason, of what had almost gone horribly wrong. Jack coughed, it was the only noise he made all day; when Tooth came in with a tray for them both he was too afraid to eat at the moment, for a while all he did was stare off into space. Jamie didn’t press Jack to eat, but he did get him to drink a bit of a rather sweet liquid, which later turned out to be some food that had been blended into a shake; Jamie stayed at his side, not falling asleep again. Jack drank it slowly, but he slowly began to zero in on Death who was hiding in the shadows, making him feel pure fear as he gagged on the blended liquid. Death chuckled.

“So you’re afraid of me now aren’t you Jack? Finally, took forever.” Jamie pulled the cup back when Jack began to gag a little. He stiffened at the sound of the voice and turned to glare daggers at Death.

“Awww.... Hey Bennett, I think you remember me. Such a pity the Moon wasted his energy even making you come back, meanwhile he left this killer alive as well.” He chuckled, stroking Jack’s cheek and scaring him. Jack whimpered, trembling.

“Best part, when Jamie dies... you’re mine too.” Jamie growled, making it clear Death isn’t wanted under no uncertain terms.

“Get out.” Death chuckled.

“Sorry, can’t. His time is closer than you think.” Jack was so afraid, his heart beat became faster, foo fast as the heart monitor was flashing and nearly flat-lining.

“Out... NOW... or so help me I will MAKE you.” Jamie growled, his eyes flashing dangerously. Death knew that Jamie didn’t have the power to kill, no one could kill Death... but that didn’t make fights pleasant and he couldn’t touch Jamie... yet...

“Fine, but I’ll be back.” Jack coughed, struggling for air; eventually the heart monitor slowly went back to normal, tears fell as Jack shook, terrified. Jamie turned back to Jack, gently wiping away his tears, murmuring quietly.

“It’s okay Jack. He can’t get to you, I promise... I’ll always protect you, remember? I’ll always be with you.” He gently pressed his lips against Jack’s. Inwardly he was shaking in fear. Death couldn’t get to Jack... not unless... but how? Wasn’t he immortal? Was there something Jamie and the others hadn’t noticed? something that would be a danger to Jamie? Jack couldn’t be in Death’s grip thanks to his spell... but Jamie wasn’t protected like Jack was... The spell didn’t go two ways... And that scared him deep down. He wasn’t afraid of Death... he was most afraid of losing Jack. Jack kissed Jamie needily, needing Jamie more than never.

“I’m scared Jamie.” Jamie is surprised by the kiss, but he returns it gently, lovingly before murmuring softly.

“I know Jack. It’s alright. I keep my promises, don’t I?” Jamie murmured, gently running his fingers soothingly through Jack’s hair. Jack nodded, pure raw fear was stuck in his heart; he was petrified of Death. Jamie comforted Jack as best he could, the yetis come in with a tray of food for Jamie and to check on the food bag for Jack. Though Jamie glares at them, scaring them off when they try and feed Jack. He didn’t want anyone near Jack... at least not for a while. They back off and leave the two of them alone; Jamie didn’t feel like eating, but he forces himself to. Jack tried to eat, but it was like trying to get a horse to drink water.

“I’ve an idea... let’s see if it works.” Jamie gave Jack a sip of some of that sweet liquid, lightly stroking Jack’s throat with one finger to trigger the swallowing reflex even as he brushed his lips lightly along Jack’s. Jack swallowed in reflex, feeling a bit stronger but still very weak; he nodded in thanks as he shakily took a sip of more of the sweet liquid. Jamie repeated the process until the liquid was all gone.

“Now... something a little more challenging perhaps...” He plucked a single grape from his plate and placed it in Jack’s mouth, lightly stroking his throat. His gaze gentle. Jack bit into it until he gagged and shook his head, spitting out the grape immediately. Jamie continued the process with various different things; Jack finally settles on some soft cheese, eating it slowly as he swallowed it.

“Everything else tastes horrible.” He whined, he was definitely not accustomed to food at all. Jamie kisses Jack gently after he swallows the cheese.

“Well, things were more pure when you were alive... Don’t worry, we’ll find things that you don’t mind eating. This will do for now.” He smiles a little, slowly feeding Jack more of the cheese in tiny bits so not to overwhelm him. After filling his stomach, his appetite gone and some weight added to him, he fell asleep after swallowing the last bite. Jamie watched over Jack, eating some of the other items that Jack hadn’t while the other winter spirit slept. It’s a few hours when he awakens again and looked around, feeling much better than before. Jamie smiled a little when he saw Jack was awake again.

“Want some water?” Jack smiled.

“Y-yes please.” Jamie got Jack a glass of water. Helping him drink like before. Jack swallowed some on his own before he felt refreshed and he sniffed.

“Oh God... I need a bath.” Jamie chuckled a little.

“If you feel up to it I’ll give you one.” Jack nodded, spreading out his arms to be picked up. Jamie chuckled a bit and picked Jack up, moving over to a different bed, closer to the bathroom.

“One moment here.” Jamie left Jack on that bed, running a shallow ice bath before coming back and tugging Jack out of his clothes before picking him up again and floating into the bathroom, careful not to bang Jack in the doorway and set him in the water. He then picked up a wash cloth and began to methodically clean him; he gently pressed a kiss to his cheek every now and then as he does. The bath was soothing in many ways to Jack’s body; he leaned into Jamie somewhat as he was going in and out of consciousness at times. Jamie put Jack on the same bed once he was done and drained the bathtub, coming back with a towel to gently dry Jack thoroughly before moving him to a dry bed to dress and then he changed the sheets on the original bed before setting Jack back on it so that he’s comfortable. It’s a long process, and by the time he’s done a yeti is arriving with a cart filled with various items, as per Jamie’s request. Including the same soft cheese that Jack had liked, but none of the fruits and vegetables from earlier that Jack hadn’t eaten. Jack sniffs, smelling the cheese making his tiny appetite grow as he also smelled the crackers and other things.

“C-can I try that flakey round disk thing?” He pointed to the round ritz. Jamie nodded.


	3. In and Out

“It’s a cracker, Jack. They’re normally eaten with cheese. Do you want to try one without cheese first or with?”

“I’d like to try it with cheese.” Jack smiles. Jamie nods and puts a slice of the cheese on it that he’d liked from the last meal and held it for Jack to take a bite. Although Jack could hold it himself, Jamie actually enjoyed the small task of feeding him; the yeti left the two alone as Jamie cut a slice of the cheese. Jack took a small bite, chewing on his own for a moment before swallowing but he coughs as it sort of stuck to his throat.

“My throat hurts.” He winces as he swallowed down the food forcefully. Jamie got Jack a glass of water.

“Here, this might help.” Jack took the glass on his own this time and drank slowly.

“I think my throat is swollen from the tube.” Jamie nodded thoughtfully.

“Only soft foods then... Let’s see... try this, it should be soft.” Jamie held out a spoonful of applesauce. Jack ate it slowly, it slithered down his throat, making him gag.

“No, nothing sweet like apples please.”

“Noted.” He tries a small piece of pulled pork next. Jack looked at the pork, his face scrunched up at it as a flash of memory of the last time he’d eaten pork; he’d had to kill the poor thing, he shook his head, most of the menu was cut off of meat except russian clams and fish.

“Alright... ummm... let’s see...” Jamie picked over the various dishes, he held out a spoonful of cottage cheese next. Jack ate it.

“What the hell?!” Jack spat it out.

“Ew, it don’t taste good.” It turned out that the cottage cheese had been made from goat’s milk. Jamie frowned a little then took a bite himself only to make a face.

“Egads! I’m going to have to tell North to NOT use goats for dairy products... I promise the cow version is not like THIS. Anyway...” He steers clear of any other dairy things, until he sees some deviled eggs. He samples one first himself before offering Jack a bite. Jack made a face like ‘gross’ again. Jamie chuckles at the face and moves on to something that looks weird, like black beads, he tastes it and nearly spits it out.

“Ugh... that is too salty... I don’t even know what this is...” Jamie poked through a few other soft dishes, two of which turned out to be sweet deserts so he didn’t even attempt to feed them to Jack. A third is plain tomato soup so he tries that. Jack looked at the tiny black egg things and thinks ‘I wanna try those.’ as he ate the soup. Jamie noticed the glance.

“Those are salty Jack... are you sure?” Jack nodded.

“Please.”

“Okay then.” Jamie didn’t like the taste honestly, it was too salty for his liking; he picked up a spoonful and held it out to Jack. Jack ate it and he agreed it was salty, but he liked it.

“More please.”

“Alright.” Jamie continued to feed him the odd dish, making a note with a different hand on what Jack’s eaten and liked in his journal, which was sitting on a lower shelf on the food card. Once it’s empty he looked at what’s left and picked up a spoonful of a slice of pie. It had a nice tangy flavor to it so he scooped up a little and held it out to Jack to try. Jack wrinkled his nose but the look on Jamie’s face made him take a bite. He licked his lips and took another bite.

“Good, so good.” He stopped eating after a moment. He felt full, actually full for once in his life.

 

“Jamie, I feel full!” He looked at Jamie with something of odd excitement. Jamie smiled.

“Well, we’ll have plenty of time to expand on your tastes.... I think that last one was a lemon pie.” Jack smiled.

“I like pie.” He slowly laid back down.

“Can I try making frost on the window, maybe?” Jamie shook his head.

“Not today. Tomorrow you might have the strength for it. You’re still too weak for frost. We need to let the food settle in your system first.” Jack sighed and took Jamie’s advice, settling back in. Jamie smiled a little.

“Don’t feel too down. It takes time to build up one’s strength. Soon you’ll be back on your feet again and even wondering why you bothered not listening to your stomach in the first place.” Jack winces at that and sighs, with that he explains the reason why he would always usually feed others before himself and usually would end up having nothing left afterwards; he only cared if others had gotten fed rather than himself. Jamie smiled a little in understanding once Jack had explained.

“I can understand why you would do that, but you need to get rid of that habit Jack. As honorable as it was when you were alive, it’s not an issue as a spirit. Yes, not everyone in the world has enough to eat, but there’s a lot more at stake than just your own life if you refuse to eat.” Jack sniffed.

“But, I just can’t let other people starve, it’s a habit I can’t break!” Jamie smiled a little in sympathy.

“Even if you could give them what you have, Jack, you can’t save them all because it’s not possible to save everyone. It’s a sad fact of life, but it’s true.” Jamie shifted to slip his arms around Jack; the journal and pen quietly fell to the floor.

“You have a good heart Jack, and it’s one of the reasons I love you so much, but you can’t simply starve yourself like this.” Jack sniffed, tears falling as he buried his head in Jamie’s chest. Jamie held Jack close to him, rubbing his back in a gesture of comfort. Jack winces a little as the machine beeped, trying to get him to sleep with anesthesia as stress was not supposed to happen to him as he could either end up in seizures or die. Jamie did his best to soothe Jack to keep the machine from acting up; so he did the only thing he could think of that might distract Jack and relax him, he kissed him. That did the trick as the machine stopped releasing the medicine to watch for more stress as Jack felt sleepy from the kiss and medicine. He went limp in Jamie’s arms, so limp he looked dead; his chest rose and fell, the only indication he was alive. Jamie smiled a little, curling up next to Jack; his winter spirit had a long way to go, but Jamie was going to be with him every step of the way. Jack slept all day, which turned into a week as it turned out he’d slipped into a light coma only to wake weeks later.

“Jamie...” His eyes opened, everything was blurry.

“Jack?” Jamie murmured, worry in his tone; he’d never seen Jack sleep so long. Jack was still alive, just awakening from a coma.

“J-jamie...” His voice was gravelly from disuse. The group had to revert back to feeding Jack with the bag, but at least this time what was on the menu was only food that Jamie had said Jack had actually liked. Jamie gently sat him up, holding a glass of water to his lips.

“Here, it’s just water. Drink.” Jack smiled, drinking the water; he’d been stuck in a healing slumber for about two and a half weeks and he didn’t even realize it.

“Feeling better? You slept for a long time there... You had me worried.” He said only once Jack had finished the glass and Jamie had set it aside. Jack smiled.

 

“A quarter of the way to recovery, but not too bad.” He smiled, his stomach growled in hunger; it needed food and this time he actually wanted to eat. Jamie chuckled at the sound and a cart of various food came in, including the cheese, the pie, tomato soup and the caviar. The cart included a few other things as well; Jamie held up a fork with some spaghetti on it for Jack to try. It had been one of his favorites as a kid. Jack ate it up, it seemed to be a favorite of his too as well as a few other choices; he picked out a quiche. Jamie chuckled, also getting Jack to take a bite of shrimp flavored ramen, remembering that he didn’t really like meat from land animals well, but hoping he might enjoy the taste of shrimp. Jack ate that as well, eating everything that he was fed until he hit his limit.

“I’m full now.” He said, laying back and letting the food settle in his system. Jamie made note of the noodles on the list of likes.

“I’m sure that in a little bit you should be comfortable and able to at least frost a window or two.” Jack nodded with a smile.

“Can’t wait.” Jamie waited an hour before indicating to Jack that he should try first standing, to see if he could, before they would frost a window. Jack shook a little when standing, but had to use Jamie as crutch to help him walk to a window. Jamie walked with Jack to the window as slow as the other spirit needed; taking several minutes to make it to the closest window, but he said nothing on it. Simply giving silent encouragement as he walked with him. He indicated quietly for Jack to sit on the window seat, before attempting the frost. Jack gave out a sigh of relief as his aching body relaxed against the window seat.

“I’m not sure what to draw... or write.” Jamie chuckled softly.

“Let’s just start with a simple frost itself hmm? Then we’ll worry about drawing or writing.” Jack smiled.

“Alright.” He put his hand to the window, a tugging sensation made him wince as frost slowly crawled up then melted and withered as he held his hand in pain. Jamie watched, though he’s not surprised at the failure of the frost since it’s been so long since Jack’s had the energy to use any of his magic.

“Hmmm, that’s an interesting reaction.” He murmured, even as he gently took the hand Jack was holding, examining it thoughtfully. Jack whimpered as it really hurt.

“I-it hurt.” Jamie is as soft as he can be, lightly skimming his fingers along Jack’s palm and fingers. Jack giggled as it tickled; Jamie’s lips twitch a little, but he traced Jack’s palm again, this time infusing a little bit of his own power into Jack’s palm to help take some of the sting from the pain. It was something he’d read about when Jack was out. Jack giggled more as he felt happy feelings from the power and the healing; he touched his forehead against Jamie’s, smiling as childish glee returned to him. Jamie smiled back, his eyes soft with patience and love as he simply sat there with Jack. Jack giggled more as the power flowed onto the window like it usually did, no tugging, but only the feeling of it leaving. He drew a stick Jamie, himself, and a dog that came to life as his eyes gleamed with fascination with the living drawings. Jamie smiled a little.

“Don’t hold it too long. The effects will wear off eventually. I only gave you a small dose.” Jack sighed and let it go, the drawing becoming stationary again.

“I hate feeling so powerless.” Jamie nodded a little.

“I know the feeling. You’ll be stronger with time, Jack, until then don’t worry about it.” Jack sighed, the energy was gone just as soon as it had been and he slumped, unconscious. Jamie picked Jack up and carried him back to the bed; Jack cuddled closer in his sleep. Jamie settled in the bed next to Jack, something that soon became routine for the two of them though not always having Jack try his hand at making frost or snow. It was a week later and Jack had fallen into another light coma.


	4. A Slight Step Back

“J-jamie...” Jamie kept close to Jack, no one else bothered doing what was needed if only to be spared Jamie’s ire... though why that was none knew as they instructed him on what to do. Jack opened his eyes slowly, the grogginess leaving him.

“J-jamie...”

“Hmmmm?” Jamie was curled against Jack when he woke up again.

“What happened? I feel like I lost a month of time and rest.”

“Not that much, you were only out about a week this time.” Jamie replied. Jack gaped.

“What!” He shook his head.

“Why do I keep doing that?”

“North thinks it’s a lack of energy. You overexert yourself and so you just end up in a healing trance of some sort until you regain what you used. Guess we should take things a little slower.” Jack groaned in annoyance.

“Why me? Why did I have to let this happen?”

“Because you have too big of a heart.” Jamie said with a soft smile. Jack sighed.

“Now what am I gonna do?”

“Stop worrying about it for one. We’ll get you better, it’s just going to take time. We’ve got a lot of that so just focus on resting up.” Jack huffed.

“But I rested enough!” He turned on his side.

“I just want to do something fun!”

“I know, well... maybe a card game or something will help ward off your boredom. What do you think?” Jamie wished, as much as Jack, that he’d get better soon but these sorts of things always took time, especially with magic. It would be a while yet before the core fully restored itself with the energy of food. Jack sighed.

“I wanna get out of here is what I want, but a card game will tide me over.”

“Maybe in a few days we’ll take a trip outside. What kind of card games do you know?” Jack thought a moment.

“Memory, Go Fish, Blackjack, Old Maid...”

“I kind of suck at memory... how about starting with Go Fish?” Jack smiled.

“Okay then.” Jamie left the room for a moment to get some playing cards. Settling on the bed when he returned with a deck, he shuffled them before passing out five cards for each of them.

“Do you want to go first or shall I?” Jack smiled.

“You go first.” As soon as he said it the machine beeped softly saying “rest time” on it. Jack looked at in anger.

“No, I’m not going to sleep! I just woke up!!!” Jamie put his cards down and floated over to the machine, altering it a bit to keep it from putting Jack to sleep as long as he wasn’t overly stressed or tired.

“Okay.” He sat back down again, looking at his hand. He didn’t have any matches to start, so he picked a card to ask.

“Do you have any 5’s?” Jack looked at his cards.

 

“No, go fish. Any 3’s?” Jamie picked up a card, it wasn’t a 5 but it did give him a pair to lay down. He handed over his three. Jack smiled, yawning slightly; he was tired again but he fought it off to await Jamie’s response to the next card he’d asked about. Jamie played a few rounds of the game with Jack before halting the suggestion of another game as he wanted to get a snack. He set the cards aside, it was mostly an excuse to let Jack doze off. Jack sighed as Jamie left the room, slowly falling asleep though he fought to stay awake.

“No, I can’t be tired.... not now.” Jamie spent a little time talking to one of the yetis; knowing how stubborn Jack could be, giving it extra time just in case before he headed off with a glass of milk and some cheese. Jack fought off the anesthesia the machine gave him, it was forced to stop at a point so it wouldn’t kill him with an overdose Jack shook.

“I don’t want to go to sleep! I won’t!” Jamie floated into the room a few minutes later.

“Thought maybe you’d want some too.” Jack smiled and his mouth watered slightly but the anesthesia was starting to kick in.

“I don’t want to sleep damnation!” Jamie chuckled a little and settled down next to Jack.

“Well that’s obvious.” He cut up bits of cheese to feed Jack until the anesthesia fully kicked in. Jack ate it, slightly licking Jamie’s fingers as he loved the taste. Jamie chuckled a little at that, breaking off more pieces for Jack to eat though he did eat a few himself between feeding Jack who slowly fell asleep.

“I d-don’t want to sleep...” He said as he was on the edge of dozing off.

“I know, but it will help you get better faster.” Jamie murmured before popping another bite of cheese into his own mouth. Jack was pushed off the edge when his body won out.

“Damn it.” It was all he said before he lost consciousness. Jamie chuckled softly, eating the rest of the cheese before he curled up next to Jack for a little nap himself. It was an hour and a half later when Jack woke up in a cold sweat from another nightmare. Jamie was still asleep when Jack woke up; while he insisted on taking care of Jack, it was exhausting work after a while and he hadn’t slept much either. Jack looked to see Jamie next to him and he smiled.

“I won’t let them ever take you away again.” He lay back down, his head on Jamie’s neck. Jamie shifted a little in his sleep, hugging one of Jack’s arms, but otherwise he didn’t move or wake. An hour and a half later sunlight filters through the window onto Jack and Jamie; Jack wakes with a yawn and stretches. Jamie grumbles against the sunlight, burying his head in Jack’s hoodie, muttering something that sounds like “five more minutes mom...” Jack chuckles and uses the blanket to cover Jamie. Jamie smiled a little, drifting back asleep for a little while before his mind forced him awake again. Jack huffed, he’d tried to get out of bed on his own, costing him twice the energy he’d had. Jamie tightened his hold on Jack, preventing him from leaving the bed even as he yawned.

“Nope.” Jack struggled.

“COME ON!” He flailed a little, pulling the IV out a little.

“Not unless you want to end up sleeping another week.” Jamie replied evenly, shifting to replace the IV again.

“And stop pulling this out.” Jack pulled it out again, growling.

“No! I hate it!” He was extremely fussy today. Jamie put it back in again, this time freezing it so Jack couldn’t pull it out or even attempt to without knocking himself out again.

“And I thought I hated being in bed...” Jack growled, trying to pull it out.

 

“Damn it!!” Jamie sighed and rubbed his eyes, thinking only that it was going to be one of those days... The machine beeped rapidly, meaning it was time to feed Jack; he grumbled and folded his arms. He wasn’t going to eat today... he just wouldn’t. Jamie ignored the machine for the time being as he waited for Jack’s temper to settle... which could be a while. Jack rolled on his side, his stomach growling. He sniffs, slightly pulling at the IV again. Jamie picked up a book from a stack nearby and set to reading as he waited out the tantrum. This wasn’t the first time... Jack whined before giving up altogether on the IV; his stomach hurt, it needed food. He yelped in pain, curling in on himself. Jamie looked up from his book.

“Would you like something to eat now?” Jack sniffled, shaking his head still, but after a while he nodded.

“Yes please.” Jamie left the room and came back with a tray of various food to feed him, along with some of the cheese from earlier and some ramen noodles. Jack’s stomach spoke for itself as he asked for some ramen and cheese. Jamie fed Jack some cheese and ramen, occasionally attempting to get Jack to try something new. Most of which Jack didn’t really like. Jack scrunched up his nose at all the sweets.

“Well, we’ll know Tooth will be overjoyed I’m not a sweets person.” He hissed as the machine took his blood sugar count along with how many calories and flashed a number, it wasn’t a good sign and it meant he needed to eat more a day as he was very low.

“There is that. Try this one, it’s not as sweet as everything else.” Jamie held out some unsweetened dark chocolate, it actually had almost no sweet taste at all to it. Jack ate it and gobbled it up like no tomorrow; he smiled.

“More please.” Jamie chuckled and handed Jack the rest of the chocolate bar.

“This might not have sugar in it, but I don’t think Tooth is going to be happy about you liking it.” He made a note of it in the journal. Jack smiled.

“C-can I try that nuts and berries bar?” He pointed to one of the many types of granola bar that were waiting to be eaten. Jamie fed him one of each of the bars, then one that combined the two flavors. Jack sampled each of the bars without a problem, he loved them all, but he liked the blueberry, peanut butter, and nuts one the most.

“Please, more of the peanut butter, blueberry and nuts.”  Jamie nods, giving Jack the whole bar to eat while he made note of that. Staying away from any of the others which chocolate or fudge. There was a banana flavored one and he offered a bite of that one to Jack. He nibbled at it, something of the sweet looking ones taunted him on the tray, it was a simple chocolate cherry....  
“Could I try one of those?” Jamie nodded, passing a bit over. It turned out that the cherry had liquor in it and he took a bite only to spit it out.

“What the hell?! I thought this would be sweet! What is inside this?” Near it was a slip:

Opps, please remove this from tray.

 

Jamie looked at the slip and groaned.

“Ah geez...” He searched the tray a moment before finding one that didn’t have liquor in it.

“Guess someone was mixing up food in the kitchen, try this one.” Jack licked his lips.

“Why do my lips feel numb?” He tries to eat but it’s like his lips and mouth are dead.

“I-i can’t eat it or feel it or taste it!” Jamie groaned a little.


	5. Stubborn

“Great... Well, don’t worry about it. It will wear off eventually... in the mean time, just eat this.” Jamie gave Jack the bowl of ramen to eat while he left the room to chew out some yetis and elves... Jack tried to eat the ramen noodles, it was like feeding fish lips; he couldn’t even taste it but he did feel buzzed and slightly giggly drunk. Jamie came back and sighed at the state he found Jack in before helping him eat the rest of the meal. Jack giggled, reaching his hand out.

“Jamie, why is your head so fuzzy?” He pet Jamie’s head. Jamie shook his head at that and a yeti took the remains of the meal away as Jamie gently pushed Jack down to rest.

“Just rest Jack.” Jack giggled.

“But I don’t wanna.” He pulled at the IV.

“Wh-what’s this thing? Why’s it glowing?” He was knocked out from pulling the thing out. Jamie sighed and put the IV back in again while Jack was out like a light. He hoped the next day would prove better as he settled down to take a nap... Today had been an exhausting one and really... didn’t he need some sleep at least? Jack woke about 2 in the morning.

“AUGH!!! MY HEAD!” He held his head.

“Shhh... not so loud.” Jamie murmured a few minutes later. Jack was in pain... lots of pain.

“But my heeeeead...” Jack whined.

“Shhhh, I know. Just don’t yell. It’s very early... though it would serve them right if you woke them up considering the idiots put one of North’s candies on YOUR tray...” Jamie murmured, sighing a little. Jack sniffled, holding in his crying as the hangover actually made him cry. Jamie held Jack against him, murmuring soothingly that it would likely fade before the day was out.

“I wish it would fade now!” Jack whined as he held his head, nothing soothing the fire.

“I know, but there’s not much we can do about it.” Jack whined a lot before he was knocked out by the machine, which sensed too much stress from him. Jamie is grateful for the thing for once; Jack woke an hour later, pain in his stomach told him he needed food but he felt too sick to eat. Jamie gently prodded Jack to eat some soup, as it would be one of the things Jack’s stomach wouldn’t just throw back up. Jack turned even that down as he turned on his side, sick as a dog. Jamie sighed.

“Come on, it will help you feel better. You’re only going to feel worse on an empty stomach... alcohol is funny that way.” Jack shook his head, making it seem like it might come to resorting to the tube feeding again. Jamie thought a moment before forming little ice cubes from the soup and making the first one trail along Jack’s lips like a tempting, cold kiss. Jack shuddered and shook his head.

“Stop it.” He curled into the pillow to hide his mouth. Jamie put the iced soup back, but that didn’t keep him from lightly ruffling Jack’s hair, gently pressing his lips against Jack’s cheek in a feather light kiss. Jack chuckled slightly and turned back. Jamie smiled and shifted to press his lips to Jack’s. Something he hadn’t done properly for days now... or been able to. Jack groaned, deepening the kiss.

“J-jamie...” Jamie sighed quietly into the kiss, surrendering to it as Jack deepened the kiss. Jack whispered the suggestion into Jamie’s ear that the soup might be fed a softer way... He smiled, aware he was implying that Jamie feed it to him by way of mouth. Jamie smiled and happily accepts the suggestion, taking it one spoonful at a time. Jack smiled, but nearly choked once or twice as his throat was having a hard time swallowing; Jamie helped with that, lighting running his fingers along Jack’s throat each time to help induce the reflex swallowing. Jack swallowed, his body euphoric for the food, he kisses Jamie a little deeper each time when collecting the cubes to ensure that he was there with him.

 

Jamie trembled a little as the kiss deepened... Oh boy, he was enjoying this a little too much... Jack took the last cube, swallowing; he lay back down, licking his lips as it had tasted really good.

“Feel better now?” Jamie asked, curling up next to Jack; he was still shaking a little. Those last few had been really... no, the word “good” just didn’t cover it. Jack nodded, kissing Jamie’s cheek before laying back again.

“I’m bored now, can we play chess?” Jamie nodded and set up the board for the two of them. Jack created his side out of ice.

“You go first.” Jamie nodded, using the black pieces instead of creating his; just to make it less confusing. He moved his first pawn forward, queen side pawn. Jack moved his own pawn a space. Jamie moved another pawn; this went on for the next few minutes back and forth. Jack managed to take out Jamie’s knight, his pawns surrounding the queen, it is trapped. Jamie retaliated with a rook, keeping Jack’s pawn from taking out his queen; Jamie’s pawns have closed in on one of Jack’s knights, threatening to take it down. What Jamie failed to notice was that his knight could easily take out the queen, then king. He smiled.

“Checkmate.” Jamie frowned a little in thought before nodding in defeat. Jack smiled.

“That was so much fun.” Jamie smiled a little.

“Any other game you want to play?” Jack thought for a long moment.

“Checkers.”

“Why did I know you were going to say that?” Jamie asked with a bit of a chuckle before he cleared the board and set up the black pieces for himself. Jack suddenly felt faint.

“Jamie...” His eyes glazed over from sudden fatigue. Jamie sighed a little.

“The game can wait. You should rest. That chess game seems to have done a number on you.” He set the game board aside and instead settled next to Jack who shook his head.

“I don’t wanna.” He said, fighting off the sleep.

“I know you don’t, but the more you do the faster you’ll recover and the stronger you’ll get.” Jack whimpered slightly as he fought it off more.

“Please... I don’t want to sleep!!” He shook his head.

“I know, I know, but you need to. The faster you get it over with the sooner you can get better, and the sooner you’re better the sooner you can do what you really want to.” Jack slowly fell asleep, his fatigue winning.

“But... I’m afraid...” It was all he said before going completely to sleep.

“It’s okay, I’ll be here when you wake.” Jamie murmured quietly. As soon as Jack was asleep, the Nightmares came; Jack cried and whined. Sandy’s dream sand swirled around Jack, trying to fight off the Nightmares and give Jack pleasant dreams. Jamie froze the ones that he could with a touch and they burst like bubbles when he did. Jack sniffled, curling into Jamie as he slept more peacefully with the Nightmares gone. Jamie smiled a little, ruffling Jack’s hair affectionately once all the Nightmares had been destroyed. Jack sighed in contentment; it was a few more days before he was able to walk on his own and his powers were stronger than ever. Despite protests, Jamie insisted Jack not try frosting a window for at least a week’s time. Wanting to make sure that this time it wouldn’t end up wearing Jack out quite as much as it had the first time. Jack sighed.

 

“Can I at least look outside?”

“Yes.” Jack smiled.

“Let’s go then.” Jamie quirked an eyebrow at the choice of words, but he walked with Jack over to the window. He hadn’t made it snow at the pole in a while, if only to keep Jack from feeling worse than he already did about not being able to make it snow. Jack looked outside.

“No snow.” He noticed that the polar ice caps were melting in the heat since the snow hadn’t rained down or chilled.

“JAMIE! YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT SNOW AROUND HERE! GLOBAL WARMING!” He yelled in shock, he immediately took action to bring snow; it made him wince but it had to be done or else they’d perish in a world of water.

“Jack no!” Jamie tried to stop Jack as best he could.

“We’re not the only winter spirits around and you’re not well enough!” Jack coughed in the midst; he had spread winter, making the polar ice caps stop melting. He collapsed to his knees, coughing.

“T-they aren’t strong enough for this kind of heat...” He winced, bleeding slightly as he’d scraped one knee. Jamie moved over to Jack’s side with a sigh.

“Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean you should do something like this so soon. You’ve gone and cut yourself too. Come on now...” Jamie led Jack back to the bed. Jack sighed.

“I’m starting to hate this room more than usual. Can’t North add color or something entertaining?!”

“Ah... they tried about a week ago... remember? You ended up frosting them as a result of not liking their choice of colors and ran the yetis out...” Jack shook his head.

“Don’t remember any such thing.”

“I see... well you did.” Jack hissed a little in pain as a yeti dealt with the scrape. Jamie just watched as the yeti tended to the new wound; saying nothing about it. Jack cried out and the yeti garbled to another in sadness as they turned to Jamie; they both walked out, discussing and whispering something between them before coming back with North.

“Jamie, it appears Jack done worse than scrape. Wound has been reopened, appear that was old one and something between knee cap and calf bone. May have to do surgery.” Jack jumped.

“WHAT?! IT’S NOTHING BUT A SCRATCH!!!” Jamie nodded thoughtfully then looked over at Jack.

“Since when is anything with you JUST that?” He sighed a little.

“I’ll be back in a minute Jack.” Jamie tugged North out the door and discussed with him in a whisper how best to give Jack the sedatives needed. Knowing that he would detest being put in a gas mask and a needle was out of the question as well. Jack shook like a leaf, he wasn’t sticking around for surgery, that was for sure. He slowly made it to the window, jumping out, the wind instantly caught him.

“WIND! GET ME AS FAR FROM THE NORTH POLE AS POSSIBLE!” The wind obliged.

“Get him back here!” Jamie called to the wind, after flinging open a window when he noticed Jack was out of the room.

“You know he needs rest!” Jack coughed in pain, he was half way to the end of the North Pole when he began falling slowly; the wind trying to keep him aloft. Jamie cursed underneath his breath, jumping from the window; the wind catching him. He shot off towards Jack as fast as possible to catch him. Jack shivered.


	6. A Little Guardian's Secret

“Come on wind... a little faster please...” The wind couldn’t be controlled though without power and it dropped him in a small village. Jack groaned in pain. Jamie missed catching Jack, but he landed next to him.

“Jack... are you okay? What were you thinking?!” Concern and disbelief colored his tone.

“I ain’t getting surgery, that’s that!” He said as he crawled away. Jamie didn’t give Jack a choice, picking him up like a child and flying back towards the pole despite protests.... if one could call the fit Jack was throwing a protest... Jack cried and struggled.

“LET GO!!” He pushed and fussed all the way back.

“NO SURGERY! NO!! IT’S ONLY A DAMN SCRATCH! PUT ME DOWN!!” Jamie ignored it the whole way, although with that last comment he leveled Jack with a look.

“Pipe down or I’ll have Sandy put you out.” Jack growled, still struggling.

“NO! LET ME DOWN!!” He fussed, pushed and managed to even kick Jamie in the jewels. Jamie scowled through the pain.

“SANDY!” He called, the little Guardian appeared in the room when he touched down. Sandy didn’t hesitate to give Jack a large dose of his dream sand to knock him out. It wasn’t as effective as either hoped as he fought the sand a good long while and when the yetis came into the room with tools he took one look and rolled right off the bed Jamie had put him in on fear.

“NO! NO SURGERY!” Jack jumped out the window again. Tooth caught him this time and between her and Sandy they managed to get him back on the bed. Jack screamed and cried as he was forcefully strapped down as he fought the sand though he slowly began to doze; he shook his head as he fought and fought and fought until finally there was silence as the dream sand finally took hold. Jamie grimaced, one of the yetis injected Jack with some of the anesthesia just to make sure he stayed out while they examined him to see if surgery really was necessary. The yetis warbled in worry and North was shocked by the discovery, Jamie looked at him for translation.

“Yeti say is infection. Is making him weaker. Is poison.” North sighed.

“They have do surgery, pull out poison which take week tops of recovery.” Jamie sighed.

“Well, he’ll be in bed regardless, considering that little stunt he pulled with the snow. Might as well have that as a reason too, at least that explains his slow recovery.” North nodded in agreement. Jack winced in pain in the force sleep as they reset the leg, extracting the poison; Jack’s body arched when one accidentally touched something that caused the rest of his body pain. The yetis had to hold him down as he was starting to wake up during the surgery. Warbling in worry, a more potent anesthetic was injected into Jack that put him out again in seconds. Jamie was kept out of the room as they did the surgery. Jack was feverish when they finally finished stitching his leg; having drained the poison that would have eaten his insides; he breathed heavily; the yetis sighed and pulled up a large tub full of ice and water which they gently put Jack in for the bad fever. They opened the door, warbling at Jamie and indicating he may come in to see Jack now. Jamie nodded, moving to the tub. He trailed his fingers into the cool water, his powers made the water colder, but not cold enough to freeze... just... cold enough to make the yetis not want to touch it. Jack was peaceful in his sleep, not moving a muscle as he sank a little deeper in the cold water. Jamie sighed a little, ruffling Jack’s hair gently; murmuring though he’s pretty sure Jack can’t really hear him or will remember it when he wakes up.

  
  


“Sorry about this, but it’s better out than in... Hopefully you’ll get better faster now.” Jack whimpered in his sleep, the pain was maddening. Jamie waited for Jack to wake up. The yetis, once they were sure Jack’s temperature had returned to normal, made Jamie withdraw his cold from the water so they could lift him out again. Jamie barely grazed Jack’s back and Jack screamed in agony; the yetis warbled in confusion at that. Jamie shrugged, but didn’t touch Jack again; he wasn’t sure what was wrong. Jack curled in on himself when they managed to set him in the bed, an IV drip next to him. Jamie winced a little, one of the yetis tucked Jack in while Jamie moved over to a window to stare outside... Why only him? Jack tossed a little in his sleep.

“Jamie...” His dreams were Nightmares. Jamie did his best to freeze the Nightmares alongside Sandy, but he was careful not to touch Jack either. Not wanting to hurt him. Jack hissed, his pain had grown worse; the machine was taking out what the problem was... turned out that in his wound from the last battle with darkness Jakoul had left poison in his body; it had coated the walls and apparently had grown. Jamie worked hard against the Nightmares while the machine worked hard to purge Jack’s system of the poison. Jack coughed up the reason for the nightmares... it was a tiny Nightmare that reared its hooves up before heading to escape out the window. Seeing the Nightmare, Jamie shot out ice at it; freezing it before it could get too far away. It neight in the ice, struggling to be free as Jack shivered, his body pained. Jamie didn’t show it any mercy, destroying this nightmare as he’d done the others; Jack winced as it had been bonded to his body, making him scream and wither a little as the dark poison left his system. Jamie slumped near the window into unconsciousness, utterly spent. Jack slept for at least four weeks, longer than usual; he slowly woke from his coma.

“Jamie...” When Jack awoke, Jamie was out like a light from exhaustion in a bed nearby; a very light snow drifted just outside the window. Jack was worried for Jamie as a yeti came to feed him, since Jamie was out; Jack shook his head but the yeti persisted. The yeti rolled its eyes, insisting Jack eat; Jamie simply slept like a log through the whole thing. Jack shook his head.

“No. GO AWAY!” He yelled in anger. The yeti warbled stubbornly, looking at the machine and then the feeding bag nearby. The message was clear... either Jack ate on his own or he was going to be force fed. Jack snarled.

“Try me. You won’t get even close to putting that tube down my throat.” The yeti turned to the machine, fiddling with it a moment to pump the anesthesia into Jack to put him out before feeding him. Jack struggled, pulling out the IV.

“Don’t ever try that again.” He snarled, eyes gleaming with hatred. While Jack was distracted with the first, a second yeti poked him with a needle, injecting the really strong anesthesia into him. Making him drop like a rock into sleep within second. The first sighs and put the IV back in again before warbling to the other about what a bother this is. Jack growled lowly in his throat, his mouth was sealed tightly as a last precaution before he went limp; his jaw would stay locked shut in his sleep. It took a mix of determination on the yetis’ part and magic from North to get Jack fed. Jack woke a moment later feeling something down his throat, he growled and almost choked as the food was being pushed through. A second injection was given to put Jack out a second time; it was the strongest they had and two doses was the limit within a few hours or there would be consequences. When Jack would wake up again, the tube would be out.... that was the hope anyway. The second dose hadn’t worked though as Jack’s body had made an immunity to it now and Jack gasped for air, wanting it to stop. The yetis warbled in worry, one got North who had to cast a sleeping spell to get Jack out again to save him from the pain of it and to keep him from choking. Jack was angry when he woke up, he was on a breathing machine as he hadn’t been breathing at all. Jamie, who’d been sleeping the whole time, finally began to stir a little; mumbling incoherently. Jack glared at North as he brought in a food tray.

 

“Now we may try solid food instead.” Jamie yawned, his stomach protesting the lack of food and he slowly opened his eyes.

“Ngh.... North?” He mumbled. North smiled.

“Good morning Jamie.” He smiled and Jack’s eyes widened.

“Jamie.” The mask muffled his voice as he looked over. Jamie yawned again.

“Hope that’s breakfast.” He mumbled sleepily in response. North smiled.

“Yes, we were just about to feed Jack. Boy was quite stubborn yesterday. Had to force feed.” Jack only snarled in response after they had removed the mask from him.

“Since when is that a surprise?” Jamie mumbled around another yawn.

“You need sleep more.” North said disapprovingly.

“Sleep’s for the dead.” Jack snapped at a yeti who was trying to feed him bacon.

“Or the sick...” He murmured as one yeti held out some bacon to him. Jamie said before taking a bite.

“He doesn’t eat meat Janis, try something else.” Jack growled at Jamie, snapping at everything on the plate, finally all but knocking away the food.

“STOP!” He turned on his side. Jamie groaned at Jack being a jackass about this... but he ate his food then dropped off.

“Don’t be so picky. Iz bad enough he stubborn about taking care of you. Lest you do iz take some burden off him before he wear himself out to point of bad health.” North admonished. Jack turned on his side ignoring him.

“Fly it out your ass.” North rubbed his eyes.

“You know... iz pretty sad you ignore advice like child when you expect be treated like adult. Not to mention how you treat him... iz wonder he not get sick of you when you so willingly want to throw away all hard work he do for you.” North sighed and waved the yetis away from the room; following them out without another word. Jack sat back, growling, shaking his head.

“Why me?” He looked at the machine.

“Maybe I could end Jamie’s suffering if I was just gone.” He looked at the IV that was keeping him alive at the moment.

“Maybe if I pull this out I could pass away...” Jamie slept for hours on end, despite not wanting to; his body was simply too exhausted. Jack sighed.

“If I die, I die. He doesn’t deserve the burden I am...” Jack slowly pulled out the needle as not to throw off the sensor; he whined in pain as it was deep. It was a good thing Sandy came by to visit before he almost pulled out the IV, he was in shock. Sandy frowned, crossing his arms when he saw what Jack was up to. Jack looked at him in tears.

“I won’t let Jamie suffer anymore. So I might as well die.” He pulled out the IV. Sandy patiently reminded Jack that he can’t. Not unless Jamie does first... he glances over at the boy sadly because he knows something Jack does not... Jack shook his head.

 


	7. On The Edge

“Why me!!” He curled up, holding his knees to his chest, letting the wound bleed out freely as the IV was trying to keep him alive as he was coughing now; it felt like his body was working at half percent. Sandy gently touched Jack’s shoulder to get his attention before spelling out in his sand:

Because, for reasons we do not understand, he loves you.

 

Jack lay on his side.

“Why am I making him suffer? I suffer more now because he suffers...” It’s all he says as he buried his head into Sandy’s shoulder. Death came by.

“Well, well Jack. Sad I see, is he dead yet?” Jack jumped, shaking.

“STAY AWAY FROM ME! STAY AWAY FROM JAMIE!!” His voice cracked in pure fear. Sandy shook a finger at Death; telling the other spirit in no uncertain terms were they welcome here. Death only chuckled.

“I can’t do that Sandman. Seems Jack is due, as soon as Jamie dies in a few hours or so.” Jack gasped.

“DON’T YOU DARE FUCKING TOUCH HIM!!”

“And what are you going to do to stop me? Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed Sandman...” Sandy floated over to Jamie, crossing his arms, standing between the two spirits.

“Oh ho... so you DO know then eh? You know a couple nights ago I almost had him...” The spirit sighed wistfully and Sandy winced.

“Of course you just HAD to step in didn’t you? Couldn’t very well let it be.” Jack jumped.

“Jamie...” He reached out to the sleeping boy.

“Please don’t give in like last time... please don’t...” Death chuckled.

“OH... of course... Poor Jackie... Didn’t know did you? Didn’t see any of the signs or recognize that he was too calm for everything to be okay all of the time...” Sandy glared at Death. Jack’s eyes widened.

“Jamie...” He was shaking from shock, tears falling as he broke down; curling in on himself as he was weak and crying for Jamie.

“Of course... not that he’d ever complain. Oh no... there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for you...” Death sneered. Jack sniffled.

“Please stop...” Jack was weakening under Death’s gaze as he was slowly actually dying as Jamie was weakening. Jamie stirred in his sleep, mumbling quietly. Death just sneered. There was no mercy in the spirit. Jack cried out as his body was in all the pain he’d endured from his life of almost-deaths and there were a lot of them... the last of which was his drowning. He screamed out. Death reached out towards Jamie, all it would take was a touch, but Sandy wasn’t having any of that and shoved the dark spirit away from the boy. Glaring at the other spirit.

“You know... you’re not immune either little star.” Sandy didn’t move. Jack coughed for air, his eyes unseeing as they slowly rolled back a glow coming from him as his soul began to come out.

“So... you’d risk your own life for these two?” Sandy nodded.

“Very well... your time has not yet come though... I will concede... if only for now... I will be back. Make no mistake.” Death slipped into the the night, leaving the three alone to survive for the time being... Jamie breathed easier with Death gone, but he’s still very much exhausted. Jack gasped for air, his eyes back to blue as his soul receded into him and he cried in agony and fear as he was traumatized, like a child now.

 

Sandy floated over to Jack, gently patting his shoulder in comfort. Jack sobbed, coughing up blood as that was something that had been happening to him a lot; his throat shredded from earlier, he cried and cried. Sandy sighed quietly, wiping away Jack’s tears; not saying anything until he was sure that Jack could actually read what he wrote in his sand:

He really does take after you... in ways... I wanted to tell you and the others... but he insisted I say noting. He didn’t want you worrying over him.

 

Jack sniffled.

“DAMN IT JAMIE! I TOLD YOU NOT TO!” He cried. Sandy raised an eyebrow at that:

So then you knew the whole time what he was doing? I guess he takes after you in that way... never listening when someone tells him not to do something... even when it’s for his own good.

 

The little Guardian seemed puzzled by the fact that Jack seemed to know.

“I knew he was trying to take after me the first time... I saw his lies... I told him to stop... and look now... I HATE MY LIFE SOMETIMES! HE SHOULDN’T LIVE HOW I ACT!” Sandy nodded after a moment then replied: Monkey see, monkey do... as they say. Perhaps you should try doing what you say for him to instead of merely saying it.

 

Jack thought about that.

“I know I’ve been an ass for a few days... weeks... but that doesn’t give him the right to do the same.” He hobbled out of bed to the deeply sleeping winter spirit.

“You hear me Jamie? I’m gonna keep fighting and so are you!! Fighting for your life while I do what you want me to... SO STOP ACTING LIKE ME!” He yelled. Jamie stirred a little from the shout, but that was it. Jack growled, he wasn’t angry at Jamie; he was angry at himself for letting things go as far as this. He picked up Jamie and held him next to him as he went to sleep. Jamie slept for the next two days and nights straight, not even rousing for food as he had the first time; meanwhile Jack ate and made his strength go up, having Jamie fed to keep him alive as he held him and watched over him. By noon of the third day, Jamie slowly stirred from the deep sleep. Jack was asleep then, not as thing as he’d been before as he slept next to Jamie. Jamie yawned as the yeti came in with the noon meal; Jack stirred slightly.

“Morning fellas.” They warbled happily as they handed Jack his noon meals; Jack didn’t even notice Jamie was awake yet. Jamie slowly opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling without really seeing anything; his eyes sort of blurry from sleep, his mind fuzzy... Was this what Jack dealt with when he went into hibernation? Jack ate appreciatively of the food he’d been given. Jamie just stared, barely noticing the quiet growl of his own stomach at the scent of food; he was still a little out of it. Jack noticed that.

“Jamie!” He said loudly, but gently. Jamie blinked, slowly taking in his surroundings; his mind slow to respond.

“Ngh?” it’s about as much as he can manage at the moment. Jack turned over.

“Jamie, thank God you’re alright.” He hugged him closely but then let go.

 

“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING ACTING HOW I WAS!!” Jamie blinked, his eyes focusing as his mind began to finally catch up to things.

“W-what are you talking about?” He muttered, his throat a little scratchy; his mind still a little muddled. Jack growled, but gave up.

“Never mind.” He sniffed, frosting Jamie’s hoodie as he hugged him again, crying.

“Just don’t pull any of my stunts... please.” His voice was broken, since Death’s last visit he was afraid. Jamie didn’t get it... until Jack hugged him and he winced as pain shot through him.

“Ow... um... not so tight please.” Jamie felt like his skin was on fire beneath the hoodie; just below the collar was a nasty, jagged cut that slid down along his left shoulder and was still rather fresh. It stung at the pressure of the hug. Jack lightened the hug.

“Jamie, I was so scared!” He cried into him.

“Why? I missed something didn’t I?” Jack shook like a leaf.

“Jamie... you almost died and Death came to take our souls.” He said, shaking. Jamie’s eyes widened.

“I... but I felt fine when I...” His head throbbed a little... no... wait... he had felt so tired when he’d come in... He’d been working so hard though to keep Jack alive... barely sleeping... was that it? Or had it been the last cut he’d done days ago? He hadn’t hit a main vein... but oh gosh there’d been a lot of blood... and... Jack noticed the cut.

“Jamie... how did you get this?” He rolled up his shirt.

“Tell me.” It looked an awful lot like when he’d been cutting himself. Jamie winced, a much from the brief flash of pain as from its discovery.

“I... needed a distraction... The stress was just...” He mumbled. There were a few others besides that one, though they were along his upper arms and mostly healed. Jack’s eyes widened, the cuts were so similar... He rolled up his own sleeve, looking at the faint marks before tears began to fall. He looked at Jamie and hugged him close.

“Please stop.” Jamie didn’t say anything. What could he say? He hadn’t meant to start... It had been an accident... but the pain had eased his stress, distracted his mind if only temporarily. Jack sniffled, crying.

“Please. I’m here, you don’t need to cut.” He shivered as it was too similar, the feelings, the pain... Jamie still didn’t say anything, but he did hug Jack back. Neither realizing the yetis had disappeared from the room at the sight of Jamie’s cut. Jack sniffled, crying harder.

“Please, please stop acting like me... stop... just stop trying to mimic how I am...” He cried. Jamie stuttered a little as he managed to get out the story how it started.... How it had been an accident when he’d been in North’s training room, trying to work out his stress and frustration. He’d misjudged the force of an ice spear he’d made and one of the resulting shards, when it had shattered against a target, had flown back at him and had sliced his arm and palm. He’d been completely caught off guard... but after that, when he’d realized the pain was a distraction... he’d used it as one on the worst of days... The days that were the hardest to get through. Jack sniffed, anger surging through him.

“IT DOESN’T GIVE YOU AN EXCUSE TO DO THIS!” He jumped out of the bed, full of energy, but less than his full.

“I am not gonna sit around while you destroy yourself!” Jamie winced as much at the volume as the obvious anger.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: 
> 
> Cutting is a serious cry for help. If you or someone you know is doing this, please seek help; so many lives are lost through accident or purpose through this self-destructive action. Don't wait until it's too late.


	8. Out of the Bag

“I know...” Jamie trailed off miserably. It had been all too easy of a trap to fall into... even if he hadn’t done it on purpose. Jack sniffed.

“I’m just glad you’re okay now.” He sat by the window sill, now silenced. Jamie nodded a little, his stomach rumbled a little and he got up and walked over to the cart to pick through the food. He didn’t really feel like eating, but he did anyway, if only to silence his stomach. Jack busied himself with drawing on some paper he had. Once Jamie was done with the food he got himself a glass of water, wondering at the scratchiness of his throat but he didn’t ask for the moment as he walked over to where Jack was drawing something. Curious more about that than his slightly sore throat. Jack shifted slightly to hide the picture, concentrating more on the drawings’ lines. Jamie uttered a sound of curiosity but he didn’t shift to see the drawing since obviously Jack didn’t mean him to before it was finished. Instead he shifted his gaze out the window, making a light snowfall. Jack smiled, finishing it... now to add color. He left the drawing.

“Don’t look at it or I will destroy you.” He said with a chuckle before looking for crayons or paints.

“If you say so...” Jamie fogged up the window instead of frosting it. making little stick figures of the Guardians on it. Jack found the crayons, returning he went back to the picture, looking a lot like a child coloring with his tongue sticking out. Jamie didn’t notice, if only because he was keeping his focus on the window so not to give into his curiosity. Jack finished after a long moment.

“DONE!” Jamie glanced over, curious as to what it was. Jack smiled.

“My manga comic of us is done!” Jamie blinked, curious as he looked at the drawing; wondering what in the world it could be about. Jack smiled, it was a story where the two of them met new people with powers.

“That’s Storm, Lilac and Petals; they all have flower powers and we are beating back the big mean Rot King!” Jamie quietly read the comic, he’d never honestly read anything like it.

“That's a very interesting comic you’ve created Jack. One of a kind to be sure.”  Jack smiled.

“Thanks, it’s my second to my series of wacky comics.” He picked up a box full and dropped them into Jamie’s lap. Jamie’s eyes widened a little at all the little comics in the box.

“You can try them if you like.”

“Well, it will definitely pass the time that’s for sure. Where do you get all these ideas?” Jack smiled.

“It’s what my mind thinks of sometimes.”

“Huh, well okay.” He picked one out to read. Jack lay back, his stomach growling; Jamie raised an eyebrow at that.

“Um... did you eat?” Jack smiled.

“Yeah... but I still feel hungry.” Jamie chuckled a little.

“Well you should have either eaten more or asked for more silly.” Jack smiled.

“I guess so.”

“Why don’t we visit the kitchen? You can get a snack and I feel like some eggnog.”  Jack smiled.

“Sounds like a plan.” Jamie set aside the comic he’d finished and got up, heading towards the kitchen; weaving in and out of yetis and elves who smile cheerfully enough at them both as they pass by. Jack smiled, his stomach really growling now. Jamie just smiled a little and took the elevator to the second floor where he knew the kitchen was. Once in the kitchen they’re both greeted by a yeti that smiled at them both. Jack smiled even as his stomach growled.

“Can I get some eggnog?” The yeti nodded then looked at Jack.

“Um... just tell Bella what you want. She’ll get it for ya.” Jack smiled.

“Just my usual Bella, pbj and pickle on the side.” The yeti nodded again and fetched Jamie’s eggnog before quickly making the sandwich, putting it on a plate and handing it off to Jack almost as quick as she’d been at fetching Jamie’s drink.

“Thanks Bella.” Jamie said between sips. Jack smiled.

“Thanks.” He ate his sandwich slowly. The yeti warbled something that could only be ‘you’re welcome.’ Not that Jamie actually understood the yetis, but he got the gist of most of their expressions and warbles depending on situations... considering how long he’s been at the pole now. Jack smiled, finishing his sandwich and pickle. Jamie finished the drink quickly enough and handed back the empty cup with a smile even as the yeti warbled a little.

“No, just one is good. Thanks.” Bella nodded, looking at Jack inquiringly; Jack had laid back in his chair and had fallen asleep. Jamie chuckled at that and carried Jack back to the room; happy that he was getting better and things seemed more peaceful for once. Jack snuggled into Jamie, actually trying to eat his hoodie in his sleep. Jamie gently pried his hoodie from Jack’s mouth, gently kissing him instead as he settled him on the bed before snuggling close. It was only after he’d settled down did he realize he’d never asked how long he’d been out, after all it had to have been more than a few hours... right? Jack snuggled into Jamie all the more in his sleep. Jamie just smiled before drifting off himself. He was so tired, even after all that sleep... his body just wanted to sleep some more. It was a day and a half later when Jack woke up, he’d slept next to Jamie the whole time. Jamie was still sleeping when Jack woke up; the winter Guardian smiled and kissed him on the lips before he turned on his side drowsily. He was awake and looking outside he saw no snow. Jamie smiled a little in his sleep, stirring a but; fighting the urge to wake up. Jack felt sad that the snow wasn’t falling at all; Jamie finally yawned and began to stretch. Jack had moved to the window sill, sadness aching in his heart.

“The snow... its melted. Why is it melted?” Jack whined.

“Hmm?” Jamie muttered as he climbed from the bed, wandering over to where Jack was by the window and looking out. Jack sniffled, tears falling.

“I can’t make snow. I can’t help the melted ones...” It was like when he wore shoes, he was cut off from Mother Nature and everything.

“You will soon enough.” Jamie murmured gently, he wrapped his arms around Jack as a light snowfall began. Jamie sighed a little, he just felt so tired... but he’s hungry too and right on time the yetis come with food. Jack smiled at the snow in awe and wonder like a child. Jamie walked over to the cart, munching on this and that before exhaustion began to become too much and he walked over to the bed, tumbling in again.

“JAMIE!” He jumped over to him, holding him steady.

“Damn it.” Jack hugged him close as he lay him in the bed. Jamie was fast asleep before Jack even touched him. Jack kissed his forehead.

“Hey guys, what did do you got today to eat this time?” He smiled, he was going to feed Jamie. The yetis warble, pointing to various meats and cheeses. Some have obviously already having been eaten, there’s a few plates of dessert too though those are untouched. Jack smiled.

“Better hide those before Tooth catches whiff, also I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I guess Jamie could use something sweet.” He smiled, picking up some of Jamie’s favorites and feeding him bit by bit; rubbing his throat to swallow. Jamie swallowed a bit before hiding his head into the pillow, his body not wanting more food; just rest.

 

Jack smiled and stopped feeding him to feed himself. After eating he lay next to Jamie, just braiding his hair as gently as possible. Jamie slept through it all, oblivious to the world around him and in too deep of a sleep to dream. Jack snickered a little.

“Hey Bella, can you bring me a brush?” He asked politely when he saw the yeti walk by. She wonders what Jack wanted it for, but she brought it as requested. Jack smiled.

“Thanks.” He gently brushed out the knots in Jamie’s hair, though one stubborn knot gave him a hard time.

“What the hell Jamie... getting food in your hair... how the hell?” Jamie slept through it all, for an entire week; Jack was worried, he stayed by his side the entire time. On the eighth morning Jamie began to stir. Jack was by the window, drawing and sketching. Jamie yawned, slowly stretching. Not feeling quite as tired as when he’d gone to sleep; he rubbed his eyes. Jack was finishing yet another one of his manga comics.

“What’s for breakfast?” Jamie mumbled as he sat up. Jack smiled and got up to get the plate that was brought in earlier.

“One of your favorites.” He sat by Jamie with a small smile as he handed him the plate. Jamie smiled a little, eating the plate in front of him. Jack watched him. _Wow, you’re really hungry. No surprise since you’ve been asleep for several days..._ He lay next to Jamie. _Looks like my braids stayed in._ Jamie blinked in complete confusion, having picked up on the thoughts over the bond.

“What are you talking about?” Jack chuckled.

“Nothing, nothing, but you did sleep for several days.” He smiled as he’d already eaten his breakfast.

“I also made several comics and mangas depicting what you could be dreaming about.” He handed Jamie about twenty of them. Jame just looked confused before he finished the meal, reading the various comics but none of them rang a bell; if he had dreamed at all he didn’t remember anything. Jack smiled, looking outside; his heart ached. Jamie settled into reading the comics, pushing aside the empty plate; Jack took the plates to go wash them. He sighed, feeling awful.

“I hope the world isn’t afraid of us anymore.”

“Hmmmm.” It’s all Jamie says on the matter. He wasn’t sure the world still wasn’t... but only time would tell. Jack finished washing the plates and returned to Jamie, slightly bored; Jamie had finished with the dream comics and set them aside, laying down in thought. Jack lay down beside him.

“Hey, wanna play a game?”

“Sure. What game?” He smiled.

“Any game you want. Cards, a board game, perhaps... maybe 30 questions.”

“30 questions? What’s that?”

“Well, I ask you a question and you answer it as fast as you can before the other reaches 30 and we take turns asking questions back and forth.”

“Um... okay. I guess I can try that, I’ve never played before.” Jack smiled and grabbed an hourglass.

“This will be our timer.” He smirked.

“Ready?” He flipped it over.

“Go. How big is a kathybeara?”

 


	9. Staving Off Boredom

“Okay... um... the size of a baseball?”  Jack shook his head.

“The answer is the size of a small bulldog, it’s the biggest rodent in the world. Your turn.”

“Um... what large roaming mammal was once on the endangered list but isn’t anymore?” Jack thought for two minutes.

“The elephant.” Jamie shook his head.

“The Buffalo.”

“Oh, okay.” He thought a moment.

“What are the first three planets of our solar system called?”

“Mercury, Mars and Earth.” Jack smiled.

“Correct.”

“What planet has the most moons?” Jack thought for a moment.

“Mars.”

“Nope, Jupiter does.” Jack sighed, feeling tired.

“Damn it, I can’t feel tired now.”

“Hmmm... how about just a couple more questions then.” Jack nodded, yawning.

“What is the tallest building in the world?”

“Ummm... the Eiffel Tower?” Jack nodded before he wobbled and collapsed on Jamie. Jamie caught him, shifting to lay down with him on the bed, snuggling close. Jack yawned in his sleep; yawning himself, Jamie began to drift off. Jamie slept until it was time for supper. Jack was relaxing when he felt something was wrong, he jumped, narrowly dodging Death’s scythe.

“Hey! You’re not welcome here!” Jack put himself between Jamie and Death to protect him with his life. Jamie slowly opened his eyes, yawning. Jack snarled at Death who twirled his scythe.

“Why so edgy Jack? I thought you weren’t afraid of me.”

“GO AWAY!” Jack yelled in anger. Jamie rolled his eyes at Death.

“Didn’t I tell you to leave already? Why do you keep coming back? Are you just one of those people who can’t take a hint or something?” Jack yelped, as he he hadn’t known that Jamie was awake; taking down the machine that was helping him.

“Easy Jack.” Jamie murmured quietly before looking over at the other spirit. Jack whined, hiding behind Jamie; Jamie met Death’s gaze without fear. Waiting to see what the spirit wanted this time, he seemed almost bored to see the other and he really sort of was. Hadn’t they done all this before? When was the spirit going to GET it and just stop? Death met Jamie’s gaze with the same intensity.

“Just came for a soul near here, no need to be so testy Bennett. As for you, Jack, very soon... yours and Jamie’s souls will be mine.” He left in smoke and Jack shook like a leaf, coughing as the smoke was so toxic.

“That guy really needs a hobby or something.” Jamie grumbled a little before turning to Jack, slipping his arms around him to comfort him. He didn’t say anything, but he knew what Jack’s thoughts and feelings were on the other spirit. Jack sniffled, hiding under Jamie’s hoodie, his body was shaking and making the hoodie look like it was shaking.

 

“It’s okay. I promise he can’t hurt you as long as I’m around.” Jamie murmured soothingly, holding Jack close. Jack sniffled like a child needing to be held; eventually he fainted from his fear. Jamie simply kept Jack close to him, settling beneath the blanket with Jack after discarding his hoodie so that he could settle Jack more comfortably against him. He smiled softly at Jack as he slept, lightly stroking one cheek even as he murmured softly.  
“I love you.” Jack murmured in his sleep.

“I love you too...” He was completely out afterwards, dreaming and squirming a bit. Jamie just smiled, keeping close to ensure that no nightmares could sneak up on Jack. Jack accidently kicked Jamie in the jewels really hard causing Jamie to wince. Jack shifted as he dreamed of something more intimate and shifted to hump Jamie’s leg slightly. Jamie sighed a little at that, but while the kick had hurt it wasn’t painful enough to keep his own libido from responding to Jack. He sighed a little, closing his eyes. Jack woke up, whining as it got worse.

“Jack.” Jamie murmured softly. Good lord this was more difficult than he’d bargained for, to hold himself back. They really shouldn’t, but that didn’t really do anything to stop the desire. Jack whimpered, looking at Jamie, his eyes gleaming with lust. Jamie sighed a little, murmuring before he kissed him.

“We really shouldn’t...” Jack whined before kissing him back. Sometime later Jamie dozed next to Jack; not really caring if North yelled at him for “dallying” when they were supposed to be resting... it had been SO worth it... It had been a long time since either of them had the courage for it anyway considering all that they had gone through. Jack smiled, it was worth it to keep Jamie happy and all the problems away. Jamie would consider the consequences later, right now he just rested; he wasn’t really sleeping but he might as well have been with as relaxed as he was. It never ceased to make his heart fill with warmth when he thought about how fortunate he was that Jack loved him back. Jack snuggled closely as he started drawing for a while. Jamie opened one eye for a moment before he closed it again with a slight smile. When was the last time he’d been this relaxed? It took Jack about an hour or two before he’d fully finished what he’d been drawing; by the time Jack had finished, Jamie was up and reading some of the comics that Jack had given him earlier to read. Jack smirked and lay back, yawning every once and while before he set to just reworking a comic. Jamie chuckled at a few, thoroughly amused at some of the ideas that Jack had come up with for the short comics. Jack lay down now, falling asleep in the middle of his work. Jamie got a piece of paper himself and began a comic of his own... It was tougher than Jack had made it look, but this wasn’t just a comic... it was a rendition of the day that he had first looked at Jack and had thought about more than friendship... It was completely innocent, of course, as he’d only daydreamed of confessing his emotions to Jack then... It was a sort of anime-ish thing, but it was the truth too. Jack rolled on his side, the drawing forgotten; Jamie was still working on his when Jake stirred later to the smell of food. For the first few minutes he was still sleeping, one of the yetis tried to wake him up.

“Noo... five more minutes Jamie...” The yetis warbled at Jack in response while one warbled at Jamie to eat.

“Yeah, yeah... I’ll get a plate in a minute, stop nagging.” He replied. Jack snuggled deeper into the cushions and the yetis warble, leaving a couple of plates for Jack and Jamie. With a sigh, Jamie set down the colored pencils he’d been using for his comic and grabbed a plate as his stomach protested at the lack of food. Jack kissed the pillow and snuggled it to death before waking up and yawning.

“Good morning.” Jamie chuckled and said with a bit of amusement.

“Love that pillow do you?” He asked around a bite. Jack blushed madly blue, pushing the pillow away as he went to eat his food. Jamie smirked in triumph, not saying anything more as he ate; finding it highly amusing. Jack sighed and ate his fill happily, feeling like he’d been inside too long.

 

When Jamie finished, he put his plate on a nearby nightstand and went back to coloring his comic. He was almost done with the final panel. Jack shivered, the urge to get out of the room growing. Finishing, Jamie looked up at Jack

“You look like you have ants in your pants... maybe we should leave the room for a little while.” Jack jumped, nodding quickly.

“Yes, yes let’s do that.” Jamie chuckled a little and walked over to the door, opening it and stepping out into the quiet chaos that was the workshop in the evening; yetis were changing shifts with one another at the moment and elves were mostly crashed around various places, asleep. Jack was shocked by this.

“Wow, is Christmas coming?”

“Of course, but this is the shift period. I was surprised too at first, but apparently yetis work in shifts so that there are toys being made and prepped around the clock but without exhausting them.” Jamie answered.

“Probably one of the few times the elves aren’t making a ruckus.” Jack smiled and led Jamie around the place. Jamie followed, just happy to be out of the room as well. Jack moved to sit on one of the many balconies, the cool air helping with his cabin fever; Jamie just smiled. Jack jumped into the snow below him, making a snow angel. Jamie laughed a little before jumping after Jack, doing the same. He floated up to look at the snow angel before making a snowman a few feet away with a childish grin. Jack giggled happily; Jamie knelt next to his snowman, making snowballs by hand before picking one up; grinning a little he tossed them at Jack suddenly, hoping to catch his lover off guard. Jack gasped as the snowballs rained down on him.

“JAMIE!!” He was shocked and acted on instinct, slapping Jamie with a snowball in his hand. Jamie laughed, only trying to hide behind his snowman when he ran out of ammo. Jack snickered.

“You’re in for it now Bennett.” He said with a dark, fanged smirk as he created his own ammo and locked onto Jamie. Jamie didn’t notice the smirk as he was too busy building more ammo to throw back; Jack hit him squarely in the face twenty times before Jamie could even think to hit him. Jamie ducked behind the snowman before Jack could hit him again, making more snowballs by hand as he thought. Jack made a barrage at his will and as it slammed against Jamie’s snowman it ruined his cover while Jack built himself a little ice castle.

“No fair using ice!” Jamie called out, sending a little frost over his snowman to reinforce it against the barrage before he moved out from cover to send his own ammo at Jack’s, causing snow to fly and make a temporary fog-like veil to cover his movement to the side of the ice castle that is darker than the rest  and he parted the snow to duck down out of sight in a small hole near the castle. Jack smiled and before Jamie realized that the castle wasn’t real, but made of snow, it all came tumbling down on top of him and Jack was giggling by the snowman.

“Oh man! You fell for it!” Jamie popped out of the snow like a flower and beaned Jack with the snowballs he’d been making in his “hidey hole.” Smacking him before he could recover from laughing.

“Got ya!” Jack sputtered, shaking snow out of his hair and tackling Jamie, destroying the “hidey hole.” Jamie laughed as he was tackled and sank in the snow, grinning up at Jack. Jack kissed Jamie deeply; caught unaware by that, Jamie relaxed into the kiss almost immediately. Jack took advantage of this, thrusting his tongue in a couple of times before pulling back and rolling off him.


	10. Freedom Cut Short

Jamie was a little dazed by the time Jack pulled back. Jack giggled and lay back in the snow while Jamie just smiled. Jack rolled back on top of him.

“It’s comfortable now.” Jamie chuckled, slipping his arms around Jack.  
“Yeah.” Jack smiled as the snow fell at his whim. Jamie’s eyes sparkled with happiness, simply happy because Jack was happy. Jack snuggled into him, feeling free for once in a long while; Jamie hugged him close, happy that things seemed peaceful for once... they way they should always be. Jack giggled.

“I always take your breath away, don’t I?” He said before kissing him.

“Yeah...” Jamie murmured in reply as he returned the kiss. That wasn’t all of course, but he couldn’t really think of anything else when Jack kissed him... which was the other thing and a thing he couldn’t admit to in the middle of a kiss... or between them... unless he had time to recover and that did take a little while. Jack stood up, brushing away snow as he felt sated of his need to be free. Jamie just watched Jack for a little while, he always had enjoyed watching Jack... how graceful his movements were like he was some sort of dancer and wasn’t aware of it. Jack tried something he hadn’t done in a while, flying. He smile as he floated for a moment and then in full swing he danced and swirled around the clouds, laughing in happiness. Jamie floated up, still watching Jack; unaware he was grinning as he watched. Jack swirled, making shapes in the sky, some of Jamie and himself dancing in the sky. Deciding that it looked like fun, Jamie soared up to join Jack in his “aerial ballet.” Jack smiled, dodging Jamie and hiding the cloud ‘kingdom’ he’d created. Jamie soared about, looking for Jack curiously among the various clouds. Jack giggled, tagging him on the shoulder before disappearing; his laughter loud and everywhere in the clouds.

“Hey!” He spun around, but Jack was gone before he could really see where he went... He floated higher, trying to locate the lithe Guardian... It is quiet now, Jack had fallen unconscious during the game; he’d used too much energy flying about. Jamie wondered where on earth Jack had gone as he moved through the clouds one at a time, picking through them. Jack shook in pain as he’d suffered a painful fall, hitting a tree on his way down, branches had impaled his arms and one through his gut. Jack whimpered; Jamie winced, feeling an echo of pain. Alarm shot through him and he scanned the area suddenly, before noticing a tree that looked like it was out of place. He took off towards it, hoping to find Jack. Jack shook, trying to get up only to scream out in pain and managing to push the branch in his stomach further in, making him go unconscious. Jamie cried out, feeling the pain of the bond that time for certain; he felt like he was going to be sick from it, especially by the time he located Jack and was horrified by what he found. Hours later, Jack is stitched up and Jamie is ordered by the others to keep him in the room; there are a lot of disapproving glances from the other Guardians before they leave. Jack was as still as the stick that had been removed from his stomach; Jamie sulked in one corner. The reprimands from the Guardians had really done a number on him. He hadn’t meant for this to happen! How was he supposed to know it would? He felt so guilty... He began quietly crying. Why did he mess things up so horribly? Jack started to stir.

“Jamie...” His voice was croaky and weak. Jamie nearly jumped out of his skin, he’d been so lost in thought he hadn’t been prepared for the sound of Jack’s voice. Calming himself he murmured quietly as he moved over to him.

“What is it?”

“What happened? Why is everything so painful and numb?” He was so very weak, his voice raspy.

“I... I’m not sure exactly... but you managed to get impaled on a tree.. I guess the meds are starting to wear off if you’re feeling pain.” Came the soft reply. Jack whimpered.

“How did that happen? All I remember was playing hide and seek in the clouds with you.”

 

“I don’t know.” Jamie mumbled, he picked at the bed sheet, staring at his hands. Jack smiled.

“Well, at least I get to see you first thing.” His eyes are glassy and fluttered closed. Jamie didn’t respond to that and even if he could get himself to he’d no idea what to say to that. Jack coughed in pain; Jamie was silent as he moved over to the window, snow falling gently.

“Jamie, you okay?” He croaked again, coughing once more.

“I’m fine.” He murmured, still gazing out the window. Watching the snow fall.

“No, you got something on your mind. You want to tell me?” He asked as gently as possible.

“Maybe later.” Jamie replied absently. Jack sighed, shaking slightly as the IV dripped more nutrients into his system.

“It’s nothing important really.” He added as an after thought. It was more or less true... he had just been thinking about the comic he’d finished before things had gone wrong... it still lay where he’d left it. Jack got a slight impression of it over the bond and smiled a little.

“Cool.” He slowly fell back into darkness as he no longer had the energy to stay awake anymore. The room was empty when Jack woke up again. The only company was a nurse yeti who checked the IV briefly before leaving the room. Jack coughed painfully, looking around the room shakily as he sat up. The minutes slowly tick by, but Jamie didn’t appear. Jack started to worry.

“Jamie...” It wasn’t until sunset that he returned to the room, looking tired and he settled on the bed nearby, curling up to sleep. Jack was worried.

“Jamie, where were you?”

“Spreading snow.” He mumbled tiredly before falling asleep. Jack shifted to rub his back; Jamie didn’t seem to notice as he dropped off to sleep, not dreaming that night as he slept. The machine hooked up to Jack beeped dangerously loud as one of the wounds had reopened. Jamie slept through it, but a yeti responded to the machine and they had to put Jack under while they closed the wound again. Jack woke the next morning all stitched up and in pain.

“Morning.” Tooth fluttered in with a plate of food, she was the only one in the room.

“Thought maybe you wanted some company.” He smiled a little.

“Why am I in so much pain?”

“Probably because the first painkillers wore off. I brought some more.” She fluttered over, setting the plate aside to help prop Jack up, very careful about not agitating the wounds anymore than they were. She then handed him a pill and held a glass of water to Jack’s lips to drink.

“It will take a minute or two, but it should completely numb you.” Jack nodded, drinking the pill down; he felt that Jamie was no longer there.

“Where’s Jamie?”

“In the training room with North.” She picked up the plate and proceeded to feed Jack the meal. Jack nearly choked in his surprise.

“What? Why?” Tooth shrugged.

“Hey didn’t say why, that was just what he told me he was going to do when I talked to him this morning.” Jack ate slowly.

  


“Oh.” He sighed. Tooth set the plate aside when Jack finished it off. She offered him a drink of water to wash the last of the meal down. Jack whined sadly.

“I wish this didn’t happen.”

“You weren’t supposed to even go outside.” Tooth said, setting the empty glass aside with the plate. Jack sniffed.

“Well, Jamie was giving me freedom for once.”

“He should have known better.” She scowled for a moment before it disappeared and she sighed.

“What’s done is done.” Jack glared at her.

“Don’t pin this on him. It’s not his fault I fell through that tree. If you scold him so-” A cough racked his body harshly.

“Yes, well... we’ve already talked to him about that. You’re both confined indoors until North says.” She said matter-of-factly. Jack shook his head.

“WHAT?! THAT’S NOT FAIR TO JAMIE! I’M THE ONE STUCK! HE SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE STUCK WITH ME!!” He yelled only to cough again, this time coughing up blood and the heart monitor dropped up and down.

“He’s not even supposed to be spreading snow, but North is allowing it. Jack, neither one of you are fully recovered yet. At any rate, North has his reasons now calm down before you accidentally pull out some stitches.” Jack growled and turned away from her.

“Still shouldn’t have done that to him.” Tooth shook her head, leaving the room with the empty plate and glass. Jack was in and out of consciousness most of the day; sometimes the machine beeped and he had to be put on a ventilator or his heart was slowing down too much. Jamie didn’t return to the room this time until after dark. He settled into the second bed to drift off. Jack whined sadly, stroking Jamie’s hair, his hand shaking.

“It’s not fair that you got dragged into my punishment Jamie.” He said slowly and carefully as he had a breathing mask on his face as he slowly fell into sleep.

“I promise... I’ll fight for your freedom even if you don’t want me to.” His eyes closed and the darkness of sleep consumed him. One day to the next passed slowly, each day seemed to be the same as the day before it; Tooth visited with each meal, sometimes she knew were Jamie was... but other times she only shrugs saying she hasn’t seen him. Jack was mad at North, when he tried to talk to him Jack only glared at him and yelled that Jamie shouldn’t be in the punishment; making himself go unconscious from over exertion. North decided then to not try again until Jack was much better. Jamie spent most of his time either in the training room or up in the rafters, staring at the moon when it’s out. Jack huffed; he missed Jamie so much, his heart yearned to see him. Jamie barely says two words to the other Guardians for the most part. Normally only returning to sleep, though it is one morning that Jack wakes up to find that Jamie is still there, asleep in the other bed. Jack smiled, yawning slightly; the stitches had fallen out weeks ago and he brushed the bangs out of Jamie’s face. Jamie stirred slightly at the touch, but he didn’t wake. Jack held onto him tightly as he slowly fell asleep again. When Jack woke up again, Jamie is gone but there’s frost on the nearby window with a little smiley face drawn into it. Jack reached out, adding to it a smiley face of ‘I miss you.’ Tooth came in to feed Jack lunch, but that was it. The sun was on the horizon when a yeti warbled a little outside the door, opening it as Jamie floated in, balancing two plates.

“Thanks Jim.” Jack smiled.


End file.
